Emilie Meyer
There are many ways to cook hot pot beef, depending on the type of hot pot being made. For example, in a Japanese hot pot, or nabe, the beef is thinly sliced and raw before being placed in the pot. The beef is then poached in a broth, which is typically made with a combination of sake, soy sauce, and sugar. In other hot pot recipes, the beef is first browned in a pan before being added to the pot and cooked with vegetables in a broth. The broth may include ingredients such as sake, soy sauce, mirin, and sugar. The hot pot is then cooked in an oven for an hour or more, until the potatoes are crisp and golden brown.
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What You'll Learn
Preparing the broth
Firstly, gather your ingredients. A simple broth for beef hot pot typically includes water, soy sauce, sake, mirin, sugar, and chilli oil (optional). You can also use dashi instead of water for added flavour. If you don't have sake or mirin, you can use either one in place of the other, but note that mirin is a sweet cooking sake that adds a unique flavour to the broth.
Next, in a bowl, whisk together the liquid ingredients with the soy sauce, sugar, and chilli oil (if using). Set this aside while you prepare the other ingredients. You'll want to have your vegetables and meat sliced and ready before starting to cook the broth.
To cook the broth, heat a Dutch oven, large pot, or your hot pot over medium-high heat. Add green onions and tofu, sautéing until the onions are soft and the tofu begins to brown. This should take about 3 minutes. Then, add your choice of vegetables, such as cabbage and mushrooms. You can also add noodles at this stage if you wish.
Once your vegetables are in the pot, pour in the broth mixture and bring it to a low simmer. You can now dip your meat into the hot broth to cook it, or you can add the meat to the pot and poach it along with the vegetables. As the broth simmers, it will absorb the flavours of the meat and vegetables, becoming richer and more delicious.
Finally, serve the hot pot by ladling the broth into bowls and enjoying the cooked ingredients communally. Don't forget to savour the remaining broth, often enjoyed with cooked rice or noodles to finish the meal.
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Slicing the beef
When slicing the beef, it is important to work with a sharp knife. A dull knife will make it more difficult to achieve thin, even slices. Begin by trimming any excess fat or connective tissue from the beef. This will ensure that the beef cooks evenly and has a tender texture.
Next, identify the grain of the meat. The grain refers to the direction in which the muscle fibres are aligned. You can identify the grain by examining the direction of the lines of muscle fibres in the beef. Once you have identified the grain, slice the beef across the grain, perpendicular to the direction of the muscle fibres. This will ensure that the beef is tender and not tough or chewy.
It is also important to note that the beef will curl up when sliced if it is frozen. This is a normal occurrence and will not affect the cooking process. However, if you prefer, you can avoid this by slicing the beef when it is partially frozen or thawed.
Finally, ensure that your beef slices are of a consistent thickness. This will help ensure even cooking in the hot pot. Once sliced, the beef can be added directly to the hot pot broth and cooked for a few seconds until done.
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Cooking the beef
To cook the beef for your hot pot, start by slicing the beef into thin pieces. The beef used in hot pots is typically sliced very thin and raw. The thinness of the beef slices will allow them to cook quickly when they are placed in the hot pot broth.
Next, prepare your broth. In a bowl, whisk together water, soy sauce, sake, mirin, sugar, and chilli oil (optional). Set aside.
Now, heat oil in a Dutch oven, a large pot, or a hot pot over medium-high heat. You can also use a large ovenproof frying pan or a flameproof casserole dish. Add green onions and tofu and sauté until the onions are soft and the tofu is lightly browned. This should take about 3 minutes. Then, add the beef slices and brown them, ensuring each piece has a good crust. Remove the beef and set it aside.
Once the beef is cooked, add the broth to the pot and bring it to a low simmer. You can also add vegetables to the broth, such as cabbage, mushrooms, and noodles. Cover the pot and cook for about 10 minutes. Finally, add the cooked beef back into the pot and stir everything together. Allow the beef to cook thoroughly, which should only take a few minutes if the slices are thin.
Your beef hot pot is now ready to be served!
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Cooking vegetables
While hot pot is often associated with meat, it can be a great opportunity to showcase a variety of vegetables. Here is a guide to cooking vegetables for a beef hot pot:
Preparation
Vegetables can be peeled and sliced into 1/4-1/8 inch slices, or cut into small 1-inch chunks. The thicker the slices, the longer they will take to cook. Leafy greens like spinach can be added towards the end of cooking for a quick dip. Root vegetables like potatoes will need longer to cook, up to 15 minutes.
Cooking Times
- Enoki mushrooms: Separate the bundle into smaller sections and cook for 30-45 seconds until wilted.
- Wood ears: Soak to reconstitute, then rinse and remove any woody ends. Cook for 2-3 minutes.
- King mushrooms: Trim the ends and thinly slice, then cook for 2 minutes.
- Shiitake mushrooms: Remove woody stems and slice. Add these early to flavour the broth, cooking for 2-3 minutes.
- Oyster, Shimeji, and other mushrooms: Clean thoroughly and cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Tofu: This can be added for as long or as short a time as you like to absorb the flavours of the broth.
Vegetarian Hot Pot
If you are cooking a vegetarian hot pot, it is still important to maintain food safety. Ensure the broth is boiling and do not add too many ingredients at once, as this can lower the temperature and result in undercooked food.
A hot pot is a fun, interactive meal to share with family and friends, so get creative with your vegetables and enjoy the social experience of cooking and dining together.
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Serving the hot pot
When serving hot pot, the pot itself is usually placed in the middle of the table, and the cooked ingredients are communally eaten. The remaining broth is often consumed with rice or noodles.
If you are serving a traditional beef hot pot, you can serve it with buttered greens on the side. It is recommended to let the dish cool down and then keep it in the fridge overnight. When you want to cook it, let it come to room temperature, then put it into the oven covered for 15-20 minutes at 180º Fan. After that, remove the lid and foil, turn the oven up to 200º and give it another 30 minutes. Check that the potatoes are well cooked.
For a slow cooker beef hot pot, cover with a lid and cook in the oven for one hour or until the potatoes are crisp and golden brown on top. Then, remove the lid and increase the heat to 200ºC/400ºF/Gas mark 6 for 30 minutes. Serve the hot pot with buttered boiled greens and the remaining red wine.
If you are serving a Japanese hot pot, the ingredients are poached in a broth, and the pot becomes the serving vessel. The cooked ingredients are communally eaten, and the remaining broth is often consumed with rice or noodles.
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Frequently asked questions
You will need beef, broth, soy sauce, sake, mirin, sugar, vegetables, and noodles.
Thinly slice the beef and season it. You can marinate the beef in wine or soy sauce.
You can either boil or grill the beef. Boiling the beef will turn it grey, whereas grilling will give it a brown colour.
You can use mushrooms, tofu, cabbage, onions, leeks, and potatoes.
This depends on the recipe you are following. Some recipes require simmering the ingredients for 10 minutes, while others require baking the hot pot for 1 hour and 30 minutes.
